Happy with a DAO SP101

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I recently traded for a DAO Ruger SP101 with 2.25 inch barrel. I suspect it is a good example of the typical life of a snub nose revolver. Taken for granted, or rarely shot but there when needed.

It is 2009 production. The previous owner said he fired less than box. I have no reason to doubt him. It looked like it had never been fully cleaned, but showed minimal residue. Carbon rings were almost imperceptible on cylinder face and became noticeably darker after I put a mere 20 rounds through and cleaned. It's impossible to be sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if he only shot a few cylinders and then put it in a bedside drawer. And it shows some signs of use in that capacity, with some light superficial scratches. But none at the crown or cylinder face. Timing and lockup are good.

Some complain about the double action pull. It's relatively heavy but pulls straight, without jerking the sights, and it can be staged. I tend to shoot small revolvers a bit high and right. But this one naturally hits around poa for me. And it points well. The ugly factory grips fit me, though I think I will try to make some wood panels to match my gp100.

I am surprised by its practical accuracy. In my first 20 rounds, I shot the following 5-round groups with perfecta 158 gr 357 at 5 yards: 1.25 inch with 4 touching (two-handed), 2.5 inch (right-handed), 3.75 inch (left-handed), and all on the torso when point shooting from the draw.

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Some complain about the double action pull. It's relatively heavy but pulls straight, without jerking the sights, and it can be staged. I tend to shoot small revolvers a bit high and right. But this one naturally hits around poa for me. And it points well. The ugly factory grips fit me, though I think I will try to make some wood panels to match my gp100.

I am surprised by its practical accuracy. In my first 20 rounds, I shot the following 5-round groups with perfecta 158 gr 357 at 5 yards: 1.25 inch with 4 touching (two-handed), 2.5 inch (right-handed), 3.75 inch (left-handed), and all on the torso when point shooting from the draw.
Last year, I bought an S&W 640 Performance Center 357mag with intent to carry it as a BUG/pocket carry CCW. I had some issues with it, sent it back to the mothership and then took it back to the range for accuracy testing with my trusty SP-101 as a control.

After a while, I thought "The SP-101 always shoots great! Why the heck am I not carrying it as my BUG/Pocket Carry CCW?" The Ruger shoots point to aim with SD 357s, and was effortlessly more accurate for me, especially when dumping an entire cylinder of Magnum SD rounds on target. So, I trimmed the hammer spur off, bought some Crimson Trace Lasergrips, and got a pocket holster for it. The size and weight really aren't the hassle I thought it would be.
 
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Last year, I bought an S&W 640 Performance Center 357mag with intent to carry it as a BUG/pocket carry CCW. I had some issues with it, sent it back to the mothership and then took it back to the range for accuracy testing with my trusty SP-101 as a control.

After a while, I thought "The SP-101 always shoots great! Why the heck am I not carrying it as my BUG/Pocket Carry CCW?" The Ruger shoots point to aim with SD 357s, and was effortlessly more accurate for me, especially when dumping an entire cylinder of Magnum SD rounds on target. So, I trimmed the hammer spur off, bought some Crimson Trace Lasergrips, and got a pocket holster for it. The size and weight really aren't the hassle I thought it would be.

I had a three-inch a few year's back that shot well but didn't get carried as I intended, so I traded it.

But this 2.25-inch fits an important niche: it fits well in a coat pocket, and it points well in my hand. A great cold and dark gun.

In the past, I tried to adjust my carry in winter months to work around a coat. (I'd switch to crossdraw or a shoulder holster.) Lately, I've just been leaving my EDC at 4 o'clock and putting the SP in my coat pocket for evening walks.
 
But this 2.25-inch fits an important niche: it fits well in a coat pocket, and it points well in my hand. A great cold and dark gun.

In the past, I tried to adjust my carry in winter months to work around a coat. (I'd switch to crossdraw or a shoulder holster.) Lately, I've just been leaving my EDC at 4 o'clock and putting the SP in my coat pocket for evening walks.
I do the same thing. My primary EDC is a 9mm automatic AIWB, but the SP-101 in a coat pocket is much easier to access when bundled up for the cold weather. In those situations, my 9mm EDC becomes my BUG! :)
 
I had a three-inch a few year's back that shot well but didn't get carried as I intended, so I traded it.

But this 2.25-inch fits an important niche: it fits well in a coat pocket, and it points well in my hand. A great cold and dark gun.

In the past, I tried to adjust my carry in winter months to work around a coat. (I'd switch to crossdraw or a shoulder holster.) Lately, I've just been leaving my EDC at 4 o'clock and putting the SP in my coat pocket for evening walks.

It is quite sensible to keep the “primary” or EDC weapon in one permanent location, and let the snub-gun be the roving gun, as clothing changes. I really like your description, “A great cold and dark gun.” :)

Of course, there is nothing wrong with having more than one SP101, so that the primary/EDC and the rover match each other. ;) I may be winking, but I am not joking. When I bought my second SP101 in 2002, it soon became quite normal for me to carry both of them, during personal time. (While at work, the primary handgun was a duty pistol, which was a Glock G22, at that time.)
 
My wife wanted a small .38special revolver for carry and so we went to the local gun shop where she picked up the DAO SP101 and after cycling it with a cylinder of snap caps fell in love and bought it after I explained that she could shoot both .38sp and .357mag. I wanted something similar and came across a like new Factory DAO 3” GP100 that was imported from the Canadian Mounted Police via CAI. Of all the rounds I’ve put through it, the 180gr. Hornady XTP shoots closest to point of aim at 25 yards. Though the trigger was good it needed some smoothing out. So I did a trigger job and bead blasted the gun.
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I thought that I was a pistolero until i bought the 2.25-inch sp101. I had been shooting and practicing quick draw(a forgotten art) with a .357 blackhawk for years. When Illinois rumored to issue ccp, I continued with the ruger brand, and of course .357.
I want to assure you all that it took boxes and boxes of ammo for me to get proficient with my new ccw. Shooting a snub doesn't come naturally. Eventually it made me a better pistol shot. 20200629_075215.jpg
Even Mrs. Farmer refers to the SP101 as "that one I like".
 
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